Mike Tirico (play-by-play), Ed Olczyk (analyst) and Emmy Award-winner Pierre McGuire (‘Inside-the-Glass’ analyst) will have the call from PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pa. Pre-game coverage starts at 6:30 p.m. ET with NHL Live, hosted by Kathryn Tappen alongside Keith Jones and Patrick Sharp.
Tonight's Officials
Referees Kevin Pollock (33), Garrett Rank (7)
Linesmen Scott Cherrey (50), Pierre Racicot (65)
Supervisor Don Koharski Ntl. Anthem Jeff Jimerson
TONIGHT’S GAME - The Bruins visit the Penguins tonight in the 3rd of 3 games between these teams this season and the 2nd of 2 games this season at PPG Paints Arena … The Bruins are 42-17-9 this season and are 15-10-6 on the road … They are 8-7-2 vs. Metropolitan Division opponents and are 23-13-4 vs. Eastern Conference foes. - The Bruins open a 3-game road trip tonight, continuing in CMB (3/12) & WPG (3/14) … They will play 7 of their next 8 games on the road with their lone home game in that span 3/16 vs CMB. - They are playing tonight game 3 of their 14th of 17 sets of 3-games-in-4-nights … They are 7-6-1 in game 1s, 11-1-2 in game 2s and 8-3-2 in game 3s of those series this season. - They are playing game 2 of their 13th of 14 sets of back-to-back games … They are currently 8-4-1 in the 1st game of those sets and are 9-1-2 in the 2nd games so far.
Tuukka Rask is celebrating his 32nd birthday today 
MILESTONES APPROACHING - Zdeno Chara is 1 goal short of his 200th NHL goal … He will become just the 22nd defenseman in NHL history to reach that milestone & 2nd active (Shea Weber). - Torey Krug is 1 point shy of his 284th career point, which will move him past Craig Janney for the most points in team history by a U.S.-born Bruin. - Patrice Bergeron is 3 points shy of his 800th NHL point.
INJURIES (Total man-games lost in 2018-19: 194) - Jake DeBrusk – Lower body - Marcus Johansson – Lung contusion - Kevan Miller – Upper body - David Pastrnak – 2/12 left thumb surgery
BOSTON vs PITTSBURGH, LIFETIME SERIES - The Bruins and Penguins are meeting for the 207th time in their histories with the Bruins having a 114-63-21-8 record and 786-633 scoring advantage in those games. - The Bruins are 44-41-15-4 lifetime in Pittsburgh with a 362-352 scoring edge in those 104 contests. - The Bruins are 11-2-3 in their last 16 games vs. the Penguins, including a 2-1 OT win in Boston on 11/23 & 4-2 loss in Pittsburgh on 12/14 in the 1st 2 games of this season’s series … They have lost their last 3 games in Pittsburgh at 0-2-1, with their last road win of this series a 6-2 victory on 12/18/2015, & are 6-6-2 in their last 14 road games vs. the Penguins.
Tonight's Officials
Referees Kevin Pollock (33), Garrett Rank (7)
Linesmen Scott Cherrey (50), Pierre Racicot (65)
Supervisor Don Koharski Ntl. Anthem Jeff Jimerson
TONIGHT’S GAME - The Bruins visit the Penguins tonight in the 3rd of 3 games between these teams this season and the 2nd of 2 games this season at PPG Paints Arena … The Bruins are 42-17-9 this season and are 15-10-6 on the road … They are 8-7-2 vs. Metropolitan Division opponents and are 23-13-4 vs. Eastern Conference foes. - The Bruins open a 3-game road trip tonight, continuing in CMB (3/12) & WPG (3/14) … They will play 7 of their next 8 games on the road with their lone home game in that span 3/16 vs CMB. - They are playing tonight game 3 of their 14th of 17 sets of 3-games-in-4-nights … They are 7-6-1 in game 1s, 11-1-2 in game 2s and 8-3-2 in game 3s of those series this season. - They are playing game 2 of their 13th of 14 sets of back-to-back games … They are currently 8-4-1 in the 1st game of those sets and are 9-1-2 in the 2nd games so far.
Tuukka Rask is celebrating his 32nd birthday today MILESTONES APPROACHING - Zdeno Chara is 1 goal short of his 200th NHL goal … He will become just the 22nd defenseman in NHL history to reach that milestone & 2nd active (Shea Weber). - Torey Krug is 1 point shy of his 284th career point, which will move him past Craig Janney for the most points in team history by a U.S.-born Bruin. - Patrice Bergeron is 3 points shy of his 800th NHL point.
INJURIES (Total man-games lost in 2018-19: 194) - Jake DeBrusk – Lower body - Marcus Johansson – Lung contusion - Kevan Miller – Upper body - David Pastrnak – 2/12 left thumb surgery
BOSTON vs PITTSBURGH, LIFETIME SERIES - The Bruins and Penguins are meeting for the 207th time in their histories with the Bruins having a 114-63-21-8 record and 786-633 scoring advantage in those games. - The Bruins are 44-41-15-4 lifetime in Pittsburgh with a 362-352 scoring edge in those 104 contests. - The Bruins are 11-2-3 in their last 16 games vs. the Penguins, including a 2-1 OT win in Boston on 11/23 & 4-2 loss in Pittsburgh on 12/14 in the 1st 2 games of this season’s series … They have lost their last 3 games in Pittsburgh at 0-2-1, with their last road win of this series a 6-2 victory on 12/18/2015, & are 6-6-2 in their last 14 road games vs. the Penguins.
The Boston Bruins keep finding ways to earn points, and they will put their streak on the line Sunday when they visit the Pittsburgh Penguins, whose more modest streak just ended.
Boston has points in 19 straight games, second-longest such streak in franchise history, after coming back Saturday to beat last-place Ottawa 3-2. The franchise record is 23 games in 1940-41.
The Bruins, 15-0-4 since Jan. 29, trailed the Senators in the third period before Chris Wagner tied it and Davie Krejci netted the winner with 44.7 seconds left in regulation.
It is the first time in franchise history that Boston has won by scoring in the final minute two games in a row. The Bruins also did that Thursday for a 4-3 win over Florida.
The Bruins have surged into second place in the overall NHL standings, behind Tampa Bay.
"Things are going so well right now," defenseman Charlie McAvoy said. "We're just playing hockey. Guys are playing well, and no one's trying to do too much."
The Bruins' success has them talking about cohesiveness.
"We know we have a special group," winger Brad Marchand said. "We know we have a good team, and a really good atmosphere in the (locker) room. Guys get along really well."
With the win against the Senators, Boston wrapped up a 6-0 homestand before embarking on a three-game road trip that starts in Pittsburgh.
"It means we're playing well, we're finding ways to win," Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said. "It means we're staying ahead of Toronto.
"Go out on the road and you like to feel good about your game."
Marcus Johansson (lung bruise), Kevan Miller (upper body), David Pastrnak (thumb) and Jake DeBrusk (lower body) are expected to remain out.
Jaroslav Halak is expected to start in goal for Boston after Tuukka Rask played against Ottawa.
The Penguins and star center Sidney Crosby each had their six-game point streak halted Saturday in a 4-1 loss at Columbus.
Pittsburgh had won three in a row before that game, a loss in which one of their weak spots bit them. The winning goal came from Cam Atkinson and was the league-high 14th shorthanded goal the Penguins have allowed.
"I don't think we'd given up those type of chances in a while," Pittsburgh coach Mike Sullivan said tersely of Saturday's shorthanded goal against, "but I'm not sure where I'm at" in how to feel about his team's power play giving up chances.
"We have to be better at the details. ... We try to game plan for every (team's) penalty kill. There are no surprises."
Pittsburgh center Evgeni Malkin, who is two points shy of 1,000 for his career, agreed that the power play has to be more efficient.
"Of course we're mad we have (the Blue Jackets) a shorthanded goal," Malkin said. "We understand that we need to play better (on the) power play -- breakout, faceoff, everything. We're still working (on it)."
It was also the 10th time this season the Penguins have scored one or fewer goals. They are 1-7-2 in those games. They had scored 22 goals in their previous six games.
Sullivan said his club, knee-pad-deep in a very tight race among Metropolitan Division and Eastern Conference teams to get into the postseason, understands the weight of every game at this point.
"We're trying to control what we can," he said. "We've got to put (losses) behind us and get ready for the next one. We're in playoff mode already, and that's just the way it's going to be."
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